“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things
at the hands of the elders, the chief priests
and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed
and on the third day be raised to life.”
Matthew 16:21 (NIV)
“…having loved His own, the ones in the world,
He loved them to the very end.”
John 13:1 (NASB)

The rigidity of some people’s beliefs reminds me of a humorous saying, “Some people’s minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed and permanently set.” Many of us sometime or another have found ourselves embarrassed after learning that a long held belief was totally wrong.
The Apostles were about one year away from the cross when our Lord began to teach them what was coming down the pipe (Matthew 16:21). We all know what impetuous Peter said to his Master as soon as he realized what his beloved Teacher had just announced. He truly loved Jesus and thought the idea of the Saviour dying and rising the third day was far beneath his Master’s dignity so he made a strenuous objection.
After continuous teaching concerning the Easter message the disciple still did not get it. The very night of the betrayal a dispute broke out among them concerning who should be reckoned the greatest (Luke 22:24). The horrors facing their Lord that night and the next day was far from their minds.
Rather than supporting, encouraging, and helping their Master each one was thinking of how he might gain supremacy over the other disciples. The very shadow of the cross loomed large and the Saviour was deeply grieved even to the point of death (Matthew 26:38). His emotional upheaval confused the disciples, and they did not know what to do to help their Teacher. He had never spoken about Himself like that before.
So, we see that all the disciples failed the Saviour grievously BUT He did not fail them! As John put it so beautifully in John 13:1,
“Having loved His own,
the ones in the world,
He loved them to the very end.”
In a few moments they would all forsake Him in Gethsemane. They abandoned their loving Benefactor after promising to be with Him to the end even if their loyalty cost them their deaths. When push came to shove, they left Him in the lurch. They abandoned Him in the darkest night in history.
Yet nothing they could do would deter His loyal love for them. That is the point. When they failed He succeeded.
As it was with the disciples tragic failure centuries ago, so it is with us today. When we fail our beloved Master, even if it is a catastrophic failure, He loves us still. He remains forever faithful to His beloved people. Come to Him today whether joyfully or with a broken heart for a grievous sin. He waits patiently to embrace you and forgive you as you repent. No sin is so heinous that He cannot forgive. No failure so dreadful that He will not make you spotlessly clean. Never, never be hesitant to return to Him Who stays faithful. He longs to embrace you again and again.
Come and come right now.
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)